Scaring Haruhi
by One with the Purple Eyes
Summary: Umehito Nekozawa has reached a problem in his life. A lover of darkness, he takes great joy in scaring people. However there is one he simply cannot seem to scare, the new student Haruhi Fujioka. From Nekozawa's POV.
1. Impossible to Scare

_I scare little children. I scare adults. I scare my friends.  
__Everyone. Everyone, I've been able to scare, except her.  
__She was the exception. No matter how hard I tried, I always failed.  
But I was determined. No matter what, I would find a way to scare Haruhi Fujioka._

_**~Prelude~**_

My name is Umehito Nekozawa, and I wasn't always scary. I was born as a beautiful blond boy, with shimmering blue eyes. I still have those two features. Yet they are not displayed the same any longer. Light has forced me to let out my dark side. Darkness has consumed me.

I wear a wig. Black and approximately the same length as my real hair. I do nothing to hide my eyes. They shine out blue to anyone who dares look me in the face. But they are all afraid. Except him.

Day and night I wear a cloak. It has become my regular attire. It allows for eternal darkness. A shield from the light that bores down so heavily upon me. To put it simply, you could say I was allergic to the sun. But it's much worse than that, for I am cursed.

Light burns like fire. Drains my energy. Causes me to suffer. So I hide. In the beginning I only stayed inside, closed off from the outer world. But as I grew up, I began to embrace my true nature, and began interest in the occult. Since then I've practiced dark arts and have been a fearful thing to all.

Some say it's my voice. It rattles like dead chains. Some say it's my puppet. A creepy cat with glaring eyes. Others say it's the fact that I make an entrance silently and without notice. But most say, or think if they don't dare say it, that it's my appearance. A teenager with dark black hair hanging across his face, shrouded in a dark black cloak, hunching over as he walks. I don't try to be scary. I just am.

I have since embraced this undeniable fact and have taken a new joy in scaring people. In fact it has become a certain hobby of mine.

But now I have reached a dilemma. Never before have I had trouble scaring people. Haruhi is the first.

A very strange young boy. Girlish in appearance. Large brown eyes. A serious attitude. And, as yet I've seen, an inability to feel fear.

I've tried everything. Sneaking up on him. Offering him cursed eyeballs. Even dangling skulls in his face. He doesn't react at all. Or if he does, it is with polite words, showing not the slightest hint of fear.

I've hidden notes in his desk. I've even tried cursing him. I've done everything I could possibly think of. But I'm not giving up. It may seem hopeless, but I cannot stand knowing he doesn't fear anything. Everyone must fear something. Yet he seems apathetic to everything.

_**~Chapter One~**_

The morning light glistened through the library, as I huddled in the corner, darkness enveloping me. I stared across the room at the object of my recent obsession, Haruhi Fujioka. I was determined to find it. His weakness. The way I could scare him. I knew he had one.

Haruhi glanced over and caught my eyes. I held him there, my mouth turning into a wicked smile.

Haruhi blinked then returned the smile warmly. He then resumed work on his papers and ignored me.

"Er…" I cry, frustrated. The same response. Nothing more than that. No sign of anything. Yet another failure.

I stood up prepared to try a different approach. I exited my sanctuary of darkness, pulling my cloak tightly around me to block as much sun as possible. Several long strides across the oven and I was standing before Haruhi.

"Fujioka-san," I began, putting on a drawl that would make spiders drop dead. "I must request a service of you." I leaned in closer to him, a wicked grin planted on my lips.

Haruhi didn't even stop to think about it. "Sure, Nekozawa-san. What do you need?"

I sighed internally. This was not going as planned. I continued anyway, already seeing that my plan would fail. "I've a cursed body I found sprawled on the floor in the closet of my clubroom. It is fairly heavy, and I need to remove it as soon as possible or the whole school will receive the same terrible curse that caused him to meet his demise. Would you assist me?"

Haruhi stared at me. Then he spoke, "Why are you asking me? Don't you need someone stronger? Why not ask Mori or one of your club members?"

Good point. As always Haruhi saw through my every attempt. Though he still was unaware of my quest to scare him clean out of his wits. I smiled painfully. "But I want you to assist me, Fujioka-san."

Haruhi sighed and stood up. "When do you need my help?"

My face lit up with glee. "Right now would be perfectly fine, if you'll come with me down to the clubroom." Excellent. A new plan was springing to life in my mind. If I could get him into my clubroom, I might finally succeed, The place itself offered so many ways to scare Haruhi, if my special ritual wouldn't be enough.


	2. Another Attempt

_**~Chapter Two~**_

As I walked down the hallway with Haruhi, I discreetly took out the club controller and manipulated the variables with deft hands. Discreetness was my forte. Something I was very proud of. I could always-

"What's that, Nekozawa-san?" asked Haruhi.

I fumbled with it and nearly dropped it out of surprise. I was shaking. "N-Nothing, Fujioka-san." I hurriedly pushed it back into my pocket. I continued to walk down the hallway. Eyes focused on the ground, willing myself not to look at Haruhi.

"It looks like a sort of controller." I jumped alarmed. He had it in his hand. Haruhi had somehow stolen the controller? "Give that back!" I said, snatching it away. How had he gotten it so discreetly? Was he a pickpocket as well?

"I only picked it up when you dropped it," said Haruhi. "Here, you dropped this also." Haruhi held out Bereznoff.

What was wrong with me today? I was dropping my most secret belongings without even noticing. "Thank you," I managed in a quiet voice and pulled Bereznoff delicately from Haruhi's fingers.

"You love that little guy quite a lot?" asked Haruhi.

"I don't love any little guy!" I said quick to defend. Then I realized Haruhi was talking about Bereznoff. "Oh, yes. My family, we worship cats so Bereznoff is the perfect cursed companion to me. You know if you touch him you might be cursed too." I threw in a quick attempt to scare him.

Haruhi shrugged. "I'm probably cursed already. I live in a tiny apartment. I have to work just to feed my dad and I. My dad is sexually confused. Oh, and worst of all I'm stuck with the host club. I don't think it can get much worse." Haruhi surprised me by smiling then. "But at least I've got friends. Even curses are alright when friends are around."

I froze midstep and nearly tripped. Those were my words. That was the line I always gave at the beginning of every black magic club meeting. 'Even curses are alright when friends are around. So let us gather today for another Black Magic Club Meeting'. I eyed Haruhi suspiciously. Perhaps he had been spying on us. He is definitely hiding something. Maybe that's why I cannot scare him. He is fascinated by the dark arts as well. Well, everyone can be scared. Even my own members, even me. I just have to use different tactics with Haruhi. I took out the controller again and changed the settings. I didn't bother to hide it this time. I knew Haruhi would see it anyway. As long as he didn't know what it meant it was fine.

We reached the door before long, having traveled the last five minutes in utter silence. I instructed Haruhi to open it. As his fingers reached forward, the scary sounds triggered. Shrieks, piano music, evil laughter, every evil sound I possessed. I watched Haruhi's face closely, but he didn't seem fazed by it. In fact, he laughed. "Trying to scare off unwanted visitors?" asked Haruhi.

Trying to scare you, I thought. "That is how the door always functions, Fujioka-san. For guests and those who would be better off cursed. In that case I would want them to come in so I could curse them myself. We try to cast away no one. The more victims the better." Perhaps I should give up. Even my creepy, raspy voice was not working on Haruhi. "Well, aren't you going to open it?" I asked abandoning the raspy tone. It hurt to use it for too long anyway.

Haruhi nodded and grabbed the knob. An electric shock came and he drew back slightly. He pulled the sleeve down on his arm and grabbed the handle with the fabric from the jacket. Then pulled it smoothly open.

The room was dark at first. Then giggles sounded, followed by horrified shrieks. I walked in behind Haruhi and as the door shut loudly behind me the lights came on. I was prepared. Sun glasses on and buried deep under the cloak. I wanted to see Haruhi's reaction.

A clown burst out of a jack in the box. Dolls with missing eyes and limbs walked across the floor robotically. Big cute stuffed animals were flung out of a drawer, aimed straight at Haruhi. He coolly stepped to the side. "This is it?" asked Haruhi. "It's very cute. Not as scary as I expected." Haruhi laughed gently. "But I guess it's not that big of a surprise. It's just like you."

"I'm cute?" was all I could say. Disbelief was clear in my tone, even I could hear that.

Haruhi nodded. "I've seen you without the wig, Nekozawa-san, if you remember. And even with your wig and cloak, it's very cute how you always pester Tamaki about joining your club."

"I don't like Tamaki," I said in defense.

"So where's that body?" asked Haruhi, not continuing on the subject.

I nearly hit myself. I had forgot to activate it. I flipped the lights off with my controller and struggled in the dark to activate the body, also activating scary things along the way. I flipped the candles on and nearly screamed. Haruhi was right in front of me.

"I'm guessing that little box controls the lights," said Haruhi. "It's very neat. I hardly ever get to use technology. Would you mind showing me how it works?"

I held it closely to me. "No!" I said fiercely. "That is a secret for Black Magic Club members only."

"Would you show it to me if I joined?" asked Haruhi.

"You shouldn't join," I said darkly. "The dark spirits would hover around you and make your life more miserable than you could possibly imagine."

"But you need one more member," said Haruhi. "Don't you? Clubs are required to have at least six. You have five."

"I have ghost members," I said. "Literally," I added unnecessarily.

Haruhi shrugged. "Alright, suit yourself. I just figured you might want another member since you always come to the host club begging for some."

"You could be a probationary member," I said. "But you'd have to pass a series of tests. Dark, scary tests that could give you nightmares for a lifetime. They would scare you out of your wits no doubt about it." I leered in Haruhi's face.

"Sounds alright," said Haruhi. "I'll consider it. Tomorrow I'll come by and let you know. Now let's get that body moved. Lunch break is almost over."

Haruhi had no qualms about the body as I had feared. He didn't even cringe. Afterwards, however, he did run off to wash his hands. But only a fool wouldn't do that. I followed him at a distance. When I reached the bathroom, Haruhi was no where to be found. Where had he gone? I washed my hands quickly and went out to look for him. I looked back behind me as I was walking down the hallway and then pummeled into someone. I turned quickly to see who it was, well, really to see the horrified face of the stupid and their weak apology. But it was Haruhi. "I'm sorry, Nekozawa-san." Not a meek apology. A polite, friendly one.

"What were you doing in the faculity bathroom?" I asked.

"They're better," said Haruhi instantly. He didn't elaborate.

"So I'll see you tomorrow?" said I.

"Yes, you will," said Haruhi. "Well, goodbye, Nekozawa-san. It was fun today." Haruhi rushed off before I could reply to his words.

I had failed yet again. But I wouldn't give up. Not yet. It bothered me too much. I was the master of fear. I could incite it in anyone. Anyone...but Haruhi. It was a matter of reputation as well as setting an ease to my spirit. I had to scare Haruhi no matter what. No matter how dastardly and stupid my tactics were. I would not fail. I could not fail. I would be a mess if I failed. I am already a mess. Haruhi, what'd you do to me?

The master of fear…afraid of Haruhi Fujioka.

A/N: So what do you think of this? I am still unsure about first person for this story, but tell me what you think. I really wish I had an editor for this story...oh, well. Enjoy!


	3. Insanity in Me

**~Chapter 3~**

I scribbled down a list of ideas in a leather notebook. I was enjoying the clean scent of rotting flesh the candle emitted. It was almost enough to ease my frustration. Yet Haruhi was still burning on my mind like an itch that wouldn't go away.

Around my room, I had placed an array of my favorite items. Several candles and books, a few scary dolls, a rat skeleton, and a lock of Kirimi's hair. I myself was hunched over on the floor, cloak hanging on a hook by my door, and wig sitting on the desk in the dark shadows created by the heavy books I had just been flipping through. I needed to find a scare tactic…something beyond the usual, something…insane. Haruhi Fujioka needed to be scared. I had to make him fear.

In front of me I had the list of new ideas. The last ten pages in the notebook were filled with crossed out ideas that had failed miserably.

"Haruhi," I cried aloud, "why won't you be scared by anything? Curse you! Curse you a thousand times!" Suddenly there was a crash, and I looked around anxiously for the source. A book had fallen off my desk. I crawled over to pick it up, taking extra care not to catch my pants on fire as I exited the sanctuary of candles.

I turned it over to read the title. _Hansel and Gretel_ by the Grimm brothers_. _The story was about two children whose parents abandoned them in the woods due to their own starvation. The children manage to find their way back the first time by leaving a trail of pebbles. The second time they cannot for the trail was made of breadcrumbs and eaten by the birds. The two children follow a white bird to a cottage made out of candy where a poor-sighted witch captures them. Hansel is kept prisoner and Gretel forced to work. In the end Gretel pushes the witch into the oven and she burns to death, my personal favorite part of the tale.

Would Haruhi be scared if he was lost in the woods? Perhaps that would be the perfect Black Magic Club test. Send Haruhi into the woods. Let him become lost, but always keep a close eye on him. Set up a cottage in the middle with a wicked old witch inside, wanting to eat Haruhi. Would he be scared then? It was worth a try. Of course, that was what I said about everything else I has tried.

I walked quietly through the woods with Haruhi at my side. He didn't seem bothered by the darkening sky and the howls and screeches that filled the forest. Maybe my plan would fail after all. He started to speak to me while still looking ahead and I took the opportunity to silently creep behind a tree.

Haruhi turned to find no one. He shrugged and walked back in the direction we had come from. I followed at a distance but soon lost sight of Haruhi. I turned this way and that. Ran through tree branches, tripped over roots, sought in vain for a way out. I shrieked. I screamed. I was helplessly lost.

Finally I saw a sign of life, a cottage in the distance. I ran to it, but it seemed no matter how much I ran I never reached it. Suddenly Haruhi was behind me. "Come along, Nekozawa-senpai." He grabbed my sleeve and walked me over to the cottage. Coolly, he opened the door, and let me in. "Have a seat," he said as he locked the door behind him. He went to the kitchen and turned a knob on the oven. I hesitated to sit down.

"Haruhi, why are you here?" I asked. "How did you find me?"

Haruhi shrugged. I sat down on the sofa seeing as he didn't seem to want to tell me anymore. I stared loftily at the fire. Shapes seemed to spring to life in the fire, dark spirits and demons, a burning angel, a winged horse, all matter of my fantasies. My eyes started to droop shut as sleep threatened to consume me.

"Nekozawa-senpai." I felt the warm hand on my shoulder. I blinked and saw Haruhi above me. I smiled softly. "It's time," he said. He took my hand and helped me up. Together we walked to the kitchen. "I need you to check the food," said Haruhi. "Just lean over and see if it looks cooked."

I leant over and then felt the sensation of falling. I swirled into an endless abyss of red, coiling fire. Haruhi was looming above me laughing, hissing, waving at me. I struggled to move, but all I could do was squirm helplessly. I screamed, but the shriek of the fire drowned me out. I flailed back and forth. I yelled for help.

"Umehito Nekozawa…" The words floated towards me. I opened my eyes which I hadn't remembered closing. I was in my room. I looked around in fear and realized with shock that it had been a dream.

I stumbled out of bed and made my way for the circle of open books that still lay on the floor next to the burnt out candles. I couldn't bring myself to light any candles. The fear from the dream was still wrapped around me. I needed help and I needed it now. Or I might go insane. I found the number in the back of one of books. It was a fairly new book about ghost stories. I dialed the number on the old fashioned black phone.

"Greetings," came the voice after a couple rings, "Scare with Flare hotline here. How may I assist you?"

I breathed in deeply and began explaining the situation with Haruhi. I had never thought I would ask for help. My pride was too high for that. But I was shivering from the dream and really needed someone to talk to before my nightmares got worse, before I went insane. Even if the hotline couldn't help me. I just needed to let it out. My diary wasn't enough.

"I see," said the voice when I had finished. "It sounds to me as if you love this little boy. Isn't he ideal for you, Nekozawa-sama? Fearless…master of fear."

"How do you know that name?" I asked. "Who are you?"

The voice laughed. "Relax, master of darkness. You didn't block your number when you called so I can see your name clearly on my screen. I have heard of you however. I never thought I'd get to speak to you."

I shook my fist impatiently though I knew he couldn't see me. "Well, what can you tell me about Haruhi? Screw pride. I just need to know how to scare him."

"Such an undignified word, Nekozawa-sama. Your parents wouldn't be too pleased. But no matter. We have an issue at hand. When did you first notice you loved Haruhi?"

"Love? What are you talking about?"

"You are obsessing over him like any normal teenager would the one they liked. I am certain this is a case of love."

"Can I talk to someone else?" I asked. "It is clear you are a mental case."

"You expect someone else to be with me manning the hotline at two in the morning, Nekozawa-sama? And I thought you were such a clever boy."

"Forget love. Just tell me how to scare him. That's all I want."

There was a pause. "Fine," the voice said tautly. "Haruhi seems to be someone who has dealt with a lot in his life. Family struggles, money issues, death, loneliness. A very cursed one indeed. He is used to the misfortune so threats of curses do not scare him. He is also very intelligent and logical so anything that seems supernatural he will automatically not be scared by it, because he believes rather firmly that it is not real. Halloween has made him immune to regular fear tactics as well.

"But everyone is afraid of something. Death is most likely among his list. And love. If you use them separately they could become highly effective. First, put Haruhi into a fake life and death situation. It must be as realistic as humanly possible. If he gets scared you may stop there and be content. But I urge you to push it further. Next time you see him after that express your worry and concern about the situation. Then when he says he is okay, confess your undying love for him. Watch him shiver in fear. You are quite a scary thing to him, right?"

"He's not scared of me at all. What is it with you and love? That is ridiculous. I'll go with the life and death plan. Anyway, Haruhi would be more scared by a beautiful man than a fool in a cloak."

"Then…make…it…happen." The phone clicked off. The hotline had hung up on me. I sighed. I needed a good plan for this to work. The Hansel and Gretel plan would obviously fail, but maybe it wasn't a bad start. Fairytales, particularly ones by the Grimm Brothers, often had horrifying elements. Maybe they would work on Haruhi.

I pulled down every fairytale book I had from my shelf. About fifteen in all. _Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood _and _Snow White _among others.

As I was flipping through the Blue Fairy Book, a title caught my eye, _The Story of a Boy who Went Forth to Learn Fear_. I read through it. The boy in the story was exactly like Haruhi. Fazed by nothing. His father sent him out to learn to shudder. Nothing worked on him and he kept complaining and complaining. He took the three day challenge at the haunted castle. He stayed three nights and won the princess all the while nothing there had scared him. He had chopped up kittens, calmly observed a dead body, excitedly urged his rolling bed to go faster. A number of ridiculous things that should have scared anyone out of their wits. Finally, after all the attempts, his marriage to the princess, and too much complaining from him, his wife dumped water on him while he slept and he woke up shuddering. But he was still unhappy, because he didn't know what true fear was.

Haruhi…this is Haruhi.

Then…there's no way to scare him. No, the hotline said everyone is afraid of something. It's worth another try. I will never give up until Haruhi shows fear.

I began avidly scouring the books, and by daylight I had a perfectly insane plan concocted in my mind.

**A/N: Sorry, no physical Haruhi appears in this chapter. Don't worry though. She'll be in the next one.**


	4. Tears of Blood

**~Chapter Four~**

I walked quickly down the silent hallway with Haruhi trailing just behind. I was surprised he was able to keep up at all as I was gliding at full speed. We reached the library door and I opened it slowly for dramatic effect. The creak was most glorious to my ears. Haruhi, however, seemed unaffected by it. No surprise.

I led the boy down past all the rows of books to my favorite shelf in the very back. "Fujioka-san, welcome to the first mystery of Ouran High School." I pushed the ancient black book with no title inward and the bookcase moved in on itself like a door…revealing the secret passageway I had discovered my first year at this school.

Haruhi raised his eyebrows. "Is that book glued to the wall?" He reached for the book. Indeed, it was. "Ah, so it functions as a door handle." Haruhi stepped inside then. I had intended to lead him in, but his curiosity was peaked it seemed.

I followed slowly behind him and closed the door with a loud clang. Haruhi didn't even jump. I sped up behind him then started whispering a scary history of the door into his ear. We reached the secret study before I could get to the most disturbing part. Haruhi walked around the room, reading the titles on a few of the books on the shelves encircling the room.

I plucked a book from above her head. "This is one of the most interesting books in the room," I proclaimed. "From the great dark philosopher of the early days. Let me read an excerpt for you. Fujioka-san, be prepared. This man speaks the wisest words that cut deep through the heart. But his opinion is most valued. Shall I begin?"

Haruhi nodded.

"There is a dark ruler that controls a small cage, consisting of but one human being. This one human being is you and the dark ruler controls all that you do. Within the cage, you do nothing, but the ruler makes it so you believe you are doing something. Friends, family, the people you love…they are all fantasies the great ruler has made up to mess with your mind. He sees them, makes you love them, then does terrible things to them to rip them apart from you. He makes your friends disappoint you. He makes your lovers turn against you. And he makes your loved ones die one by one. You are his toy. He plays you like he plays a harp and enjoys every twang of pain you endure. You suffer for his pleasure." I lashed out with the words, elaborating for full effect. Haruhi had covered his face. Was my plan really working? "All that you hold dear is a mere illusion. Nothing is real. Your logic means nothing. It is formulated by events he has placed into your mind. Unreal events that work to slowly destroy you. You are alone in this world. All those you love…mere figments. You are—" I froze mid-sentence. Haruhi was crying.

I approached him and moved his hands from his face. The tears were streaming down like blood trickling down a cut. I awkwardly patted his head. "There, there. I didn't mean it. The world is real…" He was still crying as painfully as before. "Fujioka-san…I…I didn't mean to scare you this much…"

Haruhi shook his head. "It's not that," he said. "You didn't scare me. It's just…I love my mother…and to even think that she never existed…is too much for me…"

I pulled Haruhi into my cloak, the vampiric embrace. "Your mother is among the rotting flesh that infests this earth?" I asked gently.

Haruhi looked away from my intense gaze. "She died when I was young. I tried not to cry then. I shouldn't be crying now, but…"

"Your soul writhes from the pain of unshed tears. It is alright, Fujioka-san. Her spirit is happy. I can feel it. She dances upon the wind and watches over you, guiding you through the steps of life. She thinks of you as much as you think of her." I stared into Haruhi's face then. Patiently waiting for him to meet my gaze.

"You know, I stayed with the host club, because they genuinely care about people. Even though they're foolish and not the type of people I would choose normally, they are kind. You too, Nekozawa, are kind. That's why I don't mind spending so much time with you." Haruhi broke apart from the hug and smiled. Actually smiled. The brightest smile I had seen from him yet.

"Uh…Fujioka…" I began.

"There is a host club outing to the beach next weekend," Haruhi said. "Since you hosted the last beach excursion, I wanted to invite you along with us. It is at Kyouya's beach house this time. What do you say?"

"Fujioka-san…I…" I thought about the searing sun, the cursed waves, the sand creatures set upon their madness, but then there was Haruhi, exposed to all these fearful things as well. Since my attempt at scaring him, had failed…and left him in unbearable sadness…I should try again. Or should I just give up. As much as I enjoyed strong fits of passion and pain, I did not want to make Haruhi cry again. I suppose if opportunity arose I would attempt to scare him one last time. If not…well…well what? I was unsure what I would do if I was not scaring Haruhi. Perhaps I could assist him with cursing the members of the host club one by one and watching them running around scared out of their wits. But that wasn't as fun or rewarding as seeing Haruhi afraid. I was so curious about his scared face. How would he react when he was truly scared? I sighed. "I will be there, Fujioka-san. I most look forward to it." I smiled the usual twisted smile that sent most running in the opposite direction. Haruhi smiled back that candid genuine smile and I thought to myself for the first time that we must seem strange to the outsider. We were so different yet we got on so well.

The beach would be an interesting thing. I could already feel the darkness brewing, promising a heap of excitement and hopefully, a scream from Haruhi.


	5. Fearful Waters

**~Chapter Five~**

I arrived at Kyouya's beach house, fully armed in black pants, a black shirt, sunglasses, three black cloaks, and a black veil across my face. I needed the best possible protection from the dagger of light that pierced the whole vacinity. I knocked on the door cautiously, shifting from foot to foot.

I was surprised to find Morinozuka-san behind the black oak door. "Oh," he said solemnly and walked away, leaving the door wide open. I crept in, clutching Bereznoff tightly for support.

I followed Morinozuka-san to a room draped in blue. The twins were sitting on a purple davenport flipping channels on a television that took up the entire wall. They looked up at my stealthy approach. I abandoned my attempt to sneak past them and nodded to them instead. "Good afternoon."

They gave each other a very uncomfortable look. I could tell they wished me eradicated from this earth. I held my ground firmly, like a tree rooted to the ground. "Is Fujioka-san around?" I asked. They both raised their eyebrows. And then a devilish smirk as their eyes met again.

"Haruhi is with Tamaki. Alone. I don't think they want to be disturbed."

My cheeks became suddenly hot. The layers of clothes must be getting to me, though the air was rather cool inside the house. "I will show myself to the lavatory then. Excuse me." I swept past them eerily, sensing the goosebumps on their arms. I was smiling to myself in pleasure when I heard them snicker with laughter.

I listened closely to the walls and followed the smallest signs of movement until I reached a door on the second floor. This had to be it. The room Tamaki and Haruhi were in. What were they discussing? Could it be about me? Maybe Haruhi was arguing that I should be allowed to stay. I felt very unwelcome by the other members. Or perhaps Haruhi knew I had a most devious plan to scare her and was seeking Tamaki's advice on avoiding a confrontation?

Or…no, it can't be that. Tamaki is straighter than a coffin. There's no way he would respond to Haruhi's advancements. Wait…Haruhi isn't even gay, is he? He said his father was sexually confused, but does that mean he is too? No, no, he serves women in the host club. He likes women. Right?

Before I could throw myself any deeper into the pits of confusion and despair, the door opened and I was met face-to-face with Kyouya Ootori.

I stepped back instinctly. "I apologize Ootori-san. I was simply seeking Fujioka-san."

"You're after Haruhi?" Kyouya asked with a cold grin. "Well then, why don't you come in?" Kyouya pushed open the door to reveal Tamaki and Haruhi seated at an ornate table with flowers and cake strewn across it.

"What is this?" I asked alarmed. Was this a date!?

"It's a cake party!" an excited voice yelled. Behind a rather large pink bunny sat the smallest member of the host club, Hunny Haninozuka. "Did you want to try some, Neko-chan?"

I blushed at the nickname. It was unusual to be called in such friendly terms. "Why call me Neko-chama?" I asked. "I am the prince of darkness, the master of disaster, the lord of the curses."

"It's cute." It was Haruhi this time. I was shocked to hear the words out of his mouth. Cute…Haruhi was calling me cute again? Was the host club full of homos?

I sat down at the table with the three and prodded at the little white cake.

"You'll have to take off that veil, Neko-chama!"

I was about to argue that that would be impossible due to the amount of light streaming into the room when suddenly the lights dimmed. I looked up to see Haruhi standing by the curtains. He had closed them.

"Is that better?" he asked smiling.

"Yes." I felt a soft buttery feeling in my stomach. It was strange. I cursed all butter and removed the shroud from my face. The cake sure enough had a buttery hint to it. It was good, sweet in the I-am-being-worshipped-by-underlings sort of way.

"It's yummy, isn't it?" The little boy leaped up and down excitedly.

"Hunny-senpai, you should save that energy for the beach." Haruhi laughed lightly.

I felt compelled to laugh too. Tamaki and Haninozuka-san stared at me, confused looks dashing across their face. "Well, we should get a move then!" Tamaki exclaimed raising his fist into the air. "I am determined to find a sea turtle."

"You won't find a sea turtle on my beach," Kyouya cut in.

"What!? No sea turtles? But Mommy why? They're so adorable!"

"Mommy?" I couldn't help but ask.

"Tamaki has adopted a strange method of calling us each a member of his family. Let's head down to the speech." Kyouya kept the statement short and propped the door open for all of us to exit. I slinked out behind the others, feeling the odd one out. I pulled the veil back over my face.

"Nekozawa-san?" Haruhi was by my side.

"What is it, Fujioka-san?"

"If you don't want to go outside, you can stay here. There's an indoor pool downstairs. We could swim there."

"We? Me and you? Or do you mean the whole club?"

Haruhi laughed. "I doubt they could settle for anything but the beach. It would most likely be just me and you. Is that alright? We could turn the lights down so you could swim freely without your cloak or anything."

I swallowed hard. Without my cloak _or anything_. Was Haruhi implying we would be nude? "I did not bring swimming trunks," I admitted sheepishly.

"It's alright-" you can swim naked "-I have an extra you can use." I blinked. Haruhi hadn't meant this in a sexual way at all. He was completely innocent and pure. I smiled relieved. Nothing to worry about. No need to call on the dark forces to protect me from the unsheathed sword of an underclassman.

"That sounds most delightful," I agreed.

Haruhi escorted me down the hall of the first floor to his room and produced a pair of blue and black checkered swim trunks. He then allowed me to step into the lavatory to change into said checkered swim trunks. We then entered the pool area through a very mysterious set of stairs. Once down there, Haruhi dimmed the flourescent lights. The pool was still lit with little lights placed in intervals like candlesticks. The light didn't burn me and I finally shed my layers of black clothing. I was about to step into the pool when Haruhi interrupted me.

"Aren't you going to take off your wig, Nekozawa-san? It might get damaged if it gets wet."

I had not even thought about that. I was so caught up in Haruhi and the pool and the atmosphere. I dropped the wig to the ground and dove into the pool. I heard the splash as Haruhi came in behind me. I turned around to look at him, but he wasn't there.

Suddenly a wave of water rushed at me from behind. I turned eagerly to see Haruhi's laughing face. Oh how joyous he looked. I couldn't help but engage in the childish play he had set forth. I splashed him back with my mightest force. The water lapped around him, but did not reach him.

"Try pushing upward a little more," Haruhi said. "Otherwise you won't get me wet enough."

I put my hands deep within and brought them up. The water splash across Haruhi's face and he sputtered to get the water out of his mouth. But he was laughing still. "Good job," he enthused.

An idea popped into my mind. I pretended to draw up a great amount of water as I whispered the chants. I pushed the water forward and the water came at Haruhi from behind, washing over him.

"Another one of your tricks, Nekozawa-san?" Haruhi beamed.

I descended into the depths of the water as to avoid Haruhi's question. Yet another attempt to scare him…failed. I jetted forward through the water and hit Haruhi with my outstretched hand. I came in contact with tan fabric. "Fujioka-san? Why are you wearing a shirt in the pool?"

Haruhi attempted to back up a little, but I had him against the wall. "It's more comfortable for me," he said. "It's similar to why you wear your cloak even in dark rooms."

I was so close to Haruhi that I could have kissed him if I wanted. Of course I didn't want to…or I didn't think I did. His large brown eyes were so distracting. What was I thinking about again?

Suddenly a ding echoed inside the pool room. "Oh, that's my phone," Haruhi said. I moved so he could get out of the pool to his cell phone. I watched him as he reached down for it. He was extremely thin. Such a small delicate figure. His feet were also rather small. I wonder if that means his…

"Crap!" Haruhi let out in a gasp.

"What is it?" I asked scrambling out of the pool over to him.

Haruhi quickly covered the phone. "Oh, it's nothing. It's just we-we should take a break from swimming. Yeah, I'm very tired how about you." Haruhi was rushing the words and the tone seemed very panicked. "It's okay. Let's just go to the other room." Haruhi walked toward the door and tried at knob. "Oh no…no…"

"Don't tell me…"

"We're locked in," she confirmed. Haruhi glanced around frantically. There was a door at the other end. She scrambled to it. "It's unlocked!" she called out with relief.

I followed her and we proceeded up a small flight of stairs into what looking like a toolroom. There were garden hoes and various pots and bags strewn around it. A big metal table stood at the center. A big window faced the door, but it was fogged up so we couldn't see outside.

It was nighttime dark. How long was I in the pool with Haruhi? It hadn't felt that long. Maybe an hour…

The room shook all of a sudden as thunder crashed loudly in the air. Then the most terrifying thing in the world…lightning. It flashed brightly and I fell backward tripping over…Haruhi…?

Haruhi was huddled on the floor with his hands over his ears. "Fujioka-san, ar eyou alright?" I rasped. Haruhi shook his head and clutched his ears even tighter as the sky rumbled. I didn't know what I was supposed to do. I did the only thing I could think of…I pulled Haruhi under the metal table with me and shrouded us both in the black cloak I had remembered to grab in our hurry. I blocked out as much light as I could and held Haruhi there, like a child. Except I was shaking with just as much fear as he.

"Nekozawa…thank you."

The voice was much softer and higher than I was accustomed to. "Fujioka, are you okay?" Then I noticed it, in the brief flash of lightning I saw his chest illuminated. Protruding through the wet T-shirt were two distinct lumps. Two lumps only a girl would have.


End file.
